Who is Hiding Deep in the Shadows? Perhaps a Little Bird
by KizzenNekoLuzZeBatgangYJ
Summary: A Talon is after the team, but why? They are said to be a myth but Dick knows... He lives it. The Court is very real and wants him where he belongs. The team, Batman... Everyone is on the line. Alton wants Dick dead, William wants Dick at his side. What about Dick? What does he want?
1. Prologue

They say there is a fine line between the good and evil. That you are one side or the other. Destinies are set and are meant to be kept. But the thing is, I was born to be a Talon to replace Alton Carver, the hire to William Cobb (my great grandfather) and one of the best. Haly's Circus is a cover. On the inside, it's a child's nightmare. One child is chosen from the circus every decade to became the new Talon. To be officially inducted in training, you must kill your successor.

I was marked at a young age. A tooth in the back of my mouth is not a tooth at all. It's gold and engraved with the owl. I belonged to the court right then and there... I can't run forever.

I never want the team to find out. I never want Bruce to find out. They'll see me differently. Because the Court of Owls is thought to only be a myth, a horrid nursery rhyme, a story to Gotham and nothing more, nothing less.

But the Court of Owls is much much more. You should never speak of them. If you encounter a Talon... I apologize now for the inconvenience.

* * *

Hello so I apologize for not updating much at all lately. I've become more of a reader and artist. I still write. Lot but i don't post much because my computer is a bit annoying. So I've had this idea for a long while, I have alot of stories on the Court because I loved the comics (if you are reading Forever Evil: I'm so scared for Nightwing!) this will probably be updated more but don't hold your breath.

-Cat


	2. Secrets Out

It was a causal day at the cave. We all enjoyed it. I thought nothing of anything negative. I felt at peace with the team. But little do I know how easily that can change, the peace.

Batman called us to the mission room, and that we don't have to suit up. That means we probably don't have a mission. There is either something wrong or something good. When we walked in though, I could feel the tension. A holographic screen is up. Batman stares at me. I can never help but feel slightly anxious. Then he begins speaking. "Team, be silent and no questions til it's over." And he plays the video.

Alton Carver comes on screen and my heart races.

*Hello, young heroes. I hope I can get to know you but that may not be the same said from you. I'm only here to simply give you a little piece of info. My name is non of which that is your concern. But I am a Talon, of the Court of Owls. ((Gasps from team)). Of course you may think you have nothing to do with the Court and don't wish to intervene. But you see, you have one of my Talons. Or rather my replacement. The Court wants him back, his dear old Grandfather misses him. The Talon is fully aware of the situation, of the court, his role, and basically all of which he kept secret. Point is, my Talon, my dangerous little Talon, you come back willingly, where you are supposed to be. If you don't, then I'll come after you myself but I don't guarantee anyone's safety. Why bother denying? The court doesn't allow metas, only circus performers, keep that in mind. A tooth marks him as our own if your all really that stupid. Good evening. It's been my pleasure talking to you. I'm sure you'll see me again.*

Right when the video ends, my eyes are in awestruck and I'm shaking ever so slightly. "There are only two non-metas on this team and only one of them are a he." Batman points out.

"The Court of Owls! That can't be more than a rumor! Can it?" Artemis thinks aloud. While no one is looking, I sneak away.

"Robin..." Batman finally points me out. "Is it true?" But he looks up to see I'm not there. "Robin?" He asks. "Robin!" He says, hoping I'll respond. "Dick..." He tries again. I'm only hiding in the hall, holding back tears and sobs. Once I know he's done, I go run for the back door.

It's pouring rain, I'm crying my heart out. I sob with the thunder, cry with the rain, shake with the wind... They know. They know my worst nightmare. It's not till fifteen minutes later when I hear the door open, startling me. I don't bother putting my glasses back on. I just shake more and let out another aggressive sob. My cries keep plaintively. I don't look for who it is. I just wait for the voice. "Robin..." It's Kaldur. I don't respond. He sits next to me. "Robin, why?"

"I- I..."

"Never mind..." He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close. "Batman was wondering where you went, he didn't think to look out here. As far as I know though, pouring rain and 35 degree weather isn't healthy for a human. And soaked to the bone and shivering." He explains.

Kaldur'ahm:

The look of guilt, sorrow, dread, and sadness is obvious in his eyes. Never before have I seen his eyes. But now I do. They are filler with tears, surrounded by dark circles to contrast his titanium pale skin. Dark blue, the color of a Dead Sea that's never seen the sub of day, as if he's never felt happiness.

I pull my crying teammate closer as he sobbed once more, this time choking on it and coughing. I pull him to his feet by his arms and lead him inside where I have a towel waiting. After I shut the door, I put the towel around him and let him sit against the wall and continues as I comfort the said to be dangerous Talon.

"Robin, I don't believe what that man said fully." I say after a fee minutes of letting him calm down. "Robin?"

"It's mostly true..." He whispers. "But he doesn't want me back. He wants me dead because he is in that way unloyal to the Court... A Talon isn't supposed to object their death when they are no longer useful. He was outdated a long time ago." Robin explains.

Richard Grayson:

After I explain to him a little, I get up and leave, dropping the towel. He doesn't come after me. I decide to just go home, avoiding the team. But Zatanna finds me as I walk through the mission room. "Robin!" She calls out. I keep walking. She grabs my wrist and I turn to face her. "How could you keep something like this from all of us and then just walk away? How are do expect trust that way?"

"Gee, I don't know, Zee. Maybe think about it like this, I didn't tell you because I don't want to be a Talon! For everyone's safety, for my sanity, I kept it."

"But... Artemis told me about the rumors of the Court. Your an assassin, Robin!"

I yank my hand away. "You don't know me. I'm not an assassin, I'm not a Talon! I don't want to be... I don't believe in destinies." And I finally get to walk out.

I go home and go straight to the bat cave.

* * *

**thank you all so much for the reviews and yayay I updated! Omg, so if your wondering why I don't sogb by Kat or you may not care. Funny story if you check out youngartistsallstats/**

**y'all think I'm kidding when I use it on my screen name for my name is Cat and with a c and I hate cats so... Yupp. Enjoy**


	3. The Tears of a Talon

I go down to the bat cave and find Bruce sitting at the computer. A tear slips down my cheek. "Dick, come down here, please." Bruce tells me. I walk all the way down with caution. I stop, keeping my distance. "In front of me. Now." Another tear slips down my cheek as I hesitantly walk towards him. "The Court of Owls isn't supposed to be real. Did you know what that man was talking about ?" He asks and I swallow hard. "Answer me, Dick."

I look down in shame and another tear slips, then another. I shut my eyes. "Yes..."

"Was he telling the truth? Are you a Talon?"

"Yes..." I answer in shame.

"Dick... How could the Court be real? It was always just a legend, a horror story."

"It is a horror but it's reality." I say. Then I open my mouth and mess with my back tooth on my bottom right and reach in and pinch it, not taking much for it to come out. He brings his hand down and gently takes it from my palm. He examines the gold tooth closely, finding the mark of the owls.

"It was never my choice, Bruce! I would have been William's apprentice if things hadn't changed! You can't let them take me... Please don't let them take me again, Bruce!" I cry.

He gets down on his knees and hugs me. I begin to sob again. "Shh... Shh... My fault, my fault. No one can ever take you from me, Dick."

"Please don't be mad... It's not my choice, they chose me when I was young."

"I'm not mad because you are supposedly a Talon. I'm mad because you didn't tell me. You were in danger this entire time and you kept shut about it." He explains while stroking my hair.

"I thought they'd leave me alone after I left." I respond. I put the tooth back in place, wincing as it snaps in place to the fake gum. You could imagine how much it hurt when this was put in...

"Go to bed, Dick."

"What about patrol?"

"I think it'd be safer if your off patrol for a bit, till this is solved out."

"But-"

"You kept something important from me, Dick. Now go to bed." I begin walking away. "And Dick...?" I turn. He is hesitant. "What kinds of things do you know about then?"

"A lot."

"What about who they kill?"

"They kill big names they don't approve of. Secret trials go on to decide if the person is to be sentenced to death or not. The owls believe it is their job to protect the city. The public names who think it's their job must be approved of first. They are the cause of most unsolved murders."

"What about... What about my parents?" I don't want to answer that. They killed Allen Wayne and had plans for Thomas but never succeeded. Thomas was sentenced to death but someone else killed him.

"They only killed Allen Wayne. Back in his day, the elites who were mysteriously killed, that was run by William Cobb, my great grandfather. Because of how he grew up... How he lost everything. That's all I know about your family, Bruce." He nods.

"Go to bed." I nod and l finally leave.

I lay in bed and silently cry myself to sleep.


	4. A Bloody Nightmare

_"No! Please, stop!"_

"Your the one who killed them, Richard."

"No! No I'm not! What are you talking about?!" I cry.

"Robin?" I hear the familiar voice of Wally West. "How could you betray us? How could you be an assassin and dare call us your friends? How could you let us call you our friend. We trusted you!"

"Wally..." Tears were streaming down my face. "I didn't mean to..."

"Everyone you care about... Everyone you love, everyone who loves you... Dick, I loved you. I admired Robin." No... Not Barbara.

"Babs-" I try to put a hand on her.

"Don't touch me! Don't touch me again. And don't call me Babs. I hate you Richard John Grayson."

"My little Robin... This family has a name to keep with the owls." Mom?

"Mama? How could you do this to me? You let them scar me..."

"Because that is what you were born for. Don't be weak, Richard..."

And together mom and dad fall backwards. "Nooo!" I scream bloody murder.


	5. Recap

"Dick!" I hear my name and I suddenly come awake, finding myself in the arms of Bruce. I'm crying and I can't stop. "Shh..."

"Bruce... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." I cry.

"Shhh..."

"I'm not an assassin." Of course your not. Dick, you the best child any parent could ask for, perfect in every way. You fight against the bad. Just because some old guy put a label on you, doesn't mean that's what you are. Destinies don't exist. Not in our world."

He strokes my hair till a calm down. Then we both get up. "Get dressed. Bruce Wayne has a meeting with Clark Kent and I don't feel like leaving you alone."

"I thought you were mad at Clark."

"Shhh..."

"Bruce..."

"I said get dressed."

Once he leaves, I go to the bathroom and take off my pajamas and get in the shower. I let the soothing hot water run down my skin, I close my eyes and lean my head against the wall. Images run through my mind of when I was younger. When William kidnapped me, when my parents fell, the first time Alton went after me, that was the first time I saw the Batman. Bruce hasn't mentioned it, he must not remember. My mind is a mess right now... Now feeling the aster... Normally I smile at the thought of my messed up English because it reminds me of the fact I actually have friends. Or I did anyways.

I get out of the shower and get into a black long sleeved shirt and skinny dark blue jeans. When I go down stairs, breakfast is ready. A plate of pancakes awaits with a small glass bowl of syrup sitting next to it. I feel too sick to eat... But Bruce and Alfred hate it when I skip meals because I'm skinny and underweight. But the thought of eating...

"Are you just going to glare till they get cold, Master Richard."

"I'm not hungry, Alfie."

"Dick..." Bruce looks to me. "Your doing this again?"

"But I'm not hungry."

"You normally eat breakfast like you should. It gets your systems started after a night of rest. Now sit down and eat."

"But I don't want to." I exclaim.

"Dick, are you alright?" Bruce asks.

"Tired... I'm not feeling well to eat."

Bruce sighs heavily. "Drink your tea at least."

I sit down and begin sipping to the hot cup of chi tea. It his me like a kick in the gut but in a good way. "I want you to at least have a fruit or something, Master Richard. It is not healthy to starve yourself."

"But-"

"No buts Master-"

"Alfred, he's fine." Bruce says quickly.

Bruce Wayne:

Normally I would object to Alfred commands for Dick but today I think he is at a risk of having an episode. Sometimes eating didn't help the stomach. Plus there is the stress of arguing. I'd cancel with Clark but I think it's do Dick good to try and escape reminders or the past 24 hours.

"Master Bruce-"

"Alfred, stop. Dick is fine. If he's feeling better later I'll get him something to eat."

"I swear you'd both be dead by now if I wasn't around."

"Dick, why don't you go get you jacket and we'll leave in a bit." Dick nods and goes back to his room.

"Master Bruce, have you ever considered that he my just be hungry or refusing to eat?"

"Dick had an episode last night, I don't think he realized it. He thinks it was just a nightmare but I saw the way his body reacted. I don't want him to have another and that's why he is coming along with Clark and I. If he has an episode again I don't want him getting sick because that just makes it all worse and he will only keep arguing with us and that will add to the stress."

"I see... Call me if something happens while your out, Master Bruce. And don't snap at me again or you'll be a very miserable man."


	6. Visit

I'm waiting on the stairs for a short period of time for Bruce. I follow him to the door and he grabs his coat off the hook it's hanging on. "C'mon." He says and we go to the garage. We get in the usual Lamborghini. I sit in the front passengers seat and he sits in the drivers. He says a voice command to his car and the garage door opens and we are gone.

The drive to Metropolis isn't to long. We go to Clark's apartment and knock. He answers. "Bruce!" He greets and they both shake hands. The casualty considering we are in a hall. He looks down to me. "Hey, Dick! It's been a while since I've seen you! How has school been?" He's the only one who asks that.

"Fine." I respond.

"Come in." He welcomes us into his apartment. Clark sits in the blue chair of his living room and Bruce and I sit on the couch across from him. "So, the team is a bit riled up. Especially Conner." I sink down into the couch, arms crossed. Bruce sends him a deathly glare. "No, Dick, I'm sorry." Clark apologizes.

"It's fine. Just ignore the fact I'm here." I say.

"Why would we ignore the fact your here?" Clark asks.

I groan. "Clark, can I talk to you in private?" Bruce asks.

Bruce Wayne:

"Uh... Yeah, sure." We go into his small office, leaving Dick by himself. "Is he alright, Bruce? Whenever I see him, he's usually a bit more happy or hyper as if he just had for cups of expresso."

"Dick had an episode last night."

"Good lord! Why didn't you-"

"Because I didn't have time. I want to keep an eye on him. He's showing signs of having another. Plus, he's out of gotham and away from the owls and with you and I. He told me about the court."

"You think the thought caused the episode?"

"He was crying. I don't think he knows he had one last night. I don't want to worry or stress him otherwise he'd be at the cave making sure they aren't out of their minds... Or to explain."

"Maybe... Maybe he just needs to get away from all the anger and reminders. I can take him to the park or the farm or something. You can try and catch up on the court by yourself."

"I need to know what more he isn't telling me. That means getting into his lap top and hard drives."

"Is that even possible?"

"Probably not. But as he's gotten better, so have I. He relates things to family, meaning his passwords. Now that I have more of a story, referring to the Court, I may be able to use that and get into where he keeps his family secrets."

"What do you mean where he keeps them?"

"He has a box under his bed of pictures and notes, things from the circus and stuff he doesn't want me seeing from his past. I know Robin likes to write down his feelings and cases in notes, has them all on a hard drive and keeps all his secret cases on his computer. He knows I can't hack his systems."

"Don't snoop in the boys personal life, Bruce."

"Dick lives under my roof. He'll deal with my over protection of he wants a bed and roof over his head."

"You wouldn't take it away though. So while you do whatever... I get a day with the boy?" Clark asks too excitedly. I growl. "That's the only way you can assure away his presence and safety and you know it." I growl again. "C'mon, Bruce, Dick loves hanging out with me. It'll perk him up. After five years, are you still jealous?"

"Jealous of what? The fact he was nine and did that with all people."

"If I remember correctly, he was to scared to even leave from behind you unless I was around. He didn't start actually being social with the leaguers till the team as created. He wouldn't talk at all to them till he met Wally. Unless it was me."

"Fine..." I grunt.


End file.
